


Just One Slice

by anonymous_dragon



Series: Month of Halloween [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Big Brother Dean, Brother Feels, But tada?, Gabriel's Loki, Hints at reincarnation, I just couldn't, I wanted to write Sabriel, John's A+ Parenting, Lucifer's sort of not real?, Mute Sam Winchester, Not Really?, Oops, Past Lives, Possibly worked a little?, Prompt: Pagan offerings for All Hollow's Eve, Psychic Bond, Reincarnation, Started as a Halloween thing, What the heck did I just write?, but the brotherly feels, ish?, it didn't work, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-19 14:04:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2391023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymous_dragon/pseuds/anonymous_dragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The apocalypse could have been set off at any time, so the Winchester brothers always had to be there, just in case they were needed as vessels. Of course, that means Gabriel and Lucifer took an interest to them during those times. Sometimes the Winchesters found trouble. Other times, well ...<br/>It's more like it found them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just One Slice

**Author's Note:**

> This is one out of thirty or thirty-one "little" things. I'm aiming for one every day, but I don't know. I hope so? It's supposed to be a Halloween thing. This one didn't work out that way. Not entirely, at least. Whoops.

John had to hold Dean back from beating the young priest to a pulp, but whatever words John was using to attempt at getting through to Dean were lost on both Winchester siblings. Sam, at least, wasn’t trying to murder the man that just told him of his imminent doom. Sam wasn’t doing much of anything.

“Why should he be the one, huh? Why do you have to take him?” Dean shouted. “Why not someone else? Haven’t we done enough for your stupid village?”

“While it is true the Winchesters have done and sacrificed much for this village, the gods have spoken to the Elders,” the young priest said calmly. “Samuel Winchester is to be offered to the Trickster god Loki on All Hollow’s Eve.”

“The Elders can take their damn gods’ words and shove them up their asses, for all I care. You can’t take Sam,” Dean continued to struggle.

“You should not speak of the Elders or the gods like so. They would charge you with blasphemy and take away your holy rights. You would be damned with no hope for redemption.” The priest glanced at Sam. “But I understand that this is a difficult thing to ask of you, so I will pardon you this once.”

“Oh, thank you, good sir. You hand my brother a death sentence and pardon my tongue,” Dean spat. “I suggest you start running before I tear your lungs out.” The priest’s eyes widened momentarily, taking a step back.

“I, uh … I will return tomorrow at sunset to show Sam his way.” The priest half-bowed his head in farewell, before turning. His steps were stiff and rigid as he tried not to run.

“C’mon, Sammy. Let’s get out of here,” Dean said, turning away from where the priest had been a moment before. Sam began following him, but John caught his shoulder.

“Sam, you can’t leave,” John stated. Sam blinked at him and then looked to Dean.

“Why can’t he?” Dean demanded. “We’ll ditch town; they can’t take him if he’s not here, right? Everything’ll be okay then.”

“Dean. If Loki really did choose Sam, then … Well, this isn’t something you can save Sam from this time.”

“You don’t have the right to say that to us,” Dean growled. “Why are you even here? Where the hell have you even _been?_ ”

“You watch your tone with me, mister.”

“And if I don’t? You can’t just stop by for ‘a visit’ and then say I can’t save Sam. What have you been telling me since the fire, Dad? _To always save Sam._ That’s what I’m going to do. And not even you can stop me. C’mon, Sammy.”

Sam watched Dean, and then glanced at John, before looking back to Dean. Dean shook his head. “No, Sammy, it doesn’t matter. We’ve helped this town enough; they can’t demand this of us.” Sam shifted his weight uncomfortably.

“What’s he want to know?” John asked.

“You don’t need to know.”

“Let me guess; he wants to know what will happen to the townspeople if he runs, right?” John looked directly at Sam. “Loki will burn them all for not heeding his orders.”

“That’s only if this ‘Loki’ actually exists, and isn’t something that the Elders just made up to keep their people in check,” Dean pointed out.

“Trust me, Loki’s not some figment for control,” John shook his head.

“Trust _you?_ No thanks. Let’s just go, Sammy.”

Sam stood still, staring at the town.

“Sammy?”

Sam didn’t move.

“Sam.”

Sam looked at Dean, and Dean understood. He didn’t like it, but he understood. _Dammit, Sammy, we could just leave and never look back._ But Dean knew what Sam was saying.

_We can’t just leave them to fend for themselves, Dean. Not against a god, and definitely not if I can help them._

_But why should you have to?_

There was no reply; Sam didn’t have one. But Dean could feel it. Sam knew it. Sam was the one Loki asked for, so he was the only one. But Dean wanted to be selfish; he wanted to steal Sam away and hide him from everything that could hurt him.  
 _What if you can’t come back, Sammy?_

_You’ll find me._ Sometimes, Dean was still amazed at the sheer faith Sam had in him. _I know you will. You always do._

Dean nodded. _Yeah. I’ll come find you. Have to save you from the castle Loki’s gonna hold you in, huh, bitch?_

_Jerk._ But Sam was smiling, and Dean couldn’t help but smile back.

“You’re doing that thing, aren’t you?” John asked with a slight disgusted look on his face. Dean was tempted to punch the look from his face.

“If you’re talking about the way Sam can still talk even though someone cut his tongue out? Yeah, we are,” Dean snapped.

“That wasn’t my fault and you know it.”

“No? I was gone a week—one week—and Lucifer already had Sam back. Tell me, how was that not your fault?” Dean would’ve felt satisfied at the cowed look on John’s face, but Sam was quivering again, and Dean knew he had slipped up. The name—he had said the sick bastard’s name, and Sam could probably hear him again, couldn’t he? _Sam, Sammy, Sam, shush, it’s going to be okay. He isn’t real. He’s not here. I promise._

_Funny,_ Sam answered without any humor. Only fear. _He’s saying the same about you._ Sometimes, Dean wished Lucifer actually were alive, if only so Dean could tear his lungs out and prove to Sam that Lucifer wasn’t there anymore. Most of the time, though, Dean wished Lucifer had never happened to Sam. He wished he had been there in time to save his brother, like he was supposed to. But all the wishing in the world wasn’t going to save Sam.

Dean and Sam stayed together the rest of the day. That evening, they booked a room at a local inn. There were two beds in the room, but Sam couldn’t sleep alone, or else Lucifer might join him, so Sam wrapped himself in his older brother for the night, trying desperately to believe that he wasn’t being sent to his possible death the next morning.

He almost wished there wasn’t going to be a morning.

But the sun rose, completely ignoring his wishes, and Sam stuck to Dean like glue. _Dean…_ Sam would start whenever Lucifer came too close, or Sam felt his heart stutter at the prospect of being led to Loki’s abode that evening, but Dean would toss an arm around him, and Sam would calm down, knowing he was safe so long as his brother was there.

The sky was bleeding when the young priest approached the Winchester brothers. “Sam,” he began. “Are you ready?” Sam’s hand tightened over Dean’s, but he tried thinking of the village, and how they’d pay if he didn’t go with the priest.

_Dean, I don’t want to go._

_I know, Sammy._

But, still, Sam unlatched his hand from Dean’s, slowly walking towards the priest. He gave a slight nod. The priest gave him a smile that Sam guessed was supposed to be encouraging, as if a stranger that had handed him a death sentence the previous day could put him at ease with a flash of teeth. Sam’s hazel eyes stared at Dean’s green ones for a long moment.

_Don’t worry, Sammy. I’ll find you._

_I know you will,_ Sam replied, before following the priest. They walked, out of the village and into the forests surrounding. They crossed bridges recently built and a few that weren’t so new. They didn’t seem to follow a path, but the priest led Sam confidently. Then he stopped in front of a small body of water, the liquid completely still, a perfect mirror of the sky. Here, Sam could barely feel Dean’s presence. He could catch wisps of worry, but there was no way Sam would be able to convey a message. Normally, this distance wouldn’t be an issue, but Sam could feel it; there was something different about this place.

Whatever it was, Sam didn’t like it. He felt further away from Dean than he had in a very long time. Sam hadn’t realized until just then how constant his brother really was. Sam hadn’t realized just how much he’d miss Dean.

The priest might’ve bid Sam farewell, but he didn’t hear. Sam stood there, staring at the still water, waiting for something. For what, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that even Lucifer was quieted by a power here. _Well, there’s one good thing about here, then,_ Sam said, momentarily forgetting Dean wasn’t there to snort dryly. That loneliness almost made Sam want to speak to Lucifer, if only to have some familiar company.

And then Sam’s dirty traveler’s clothing turned into a simple but royal white outfit. An empty boat appeared on the water, a glowing yellow lantern hanging at the bow. Sam assumed he was meant to board.

Sam sat on the boat, barely paying attention as the vessel glided through the water. He did stare at Lucifer, who was stuck on the shore, until he could no longer see the fallen archangel that haunted him. After Lucifer was out of sight, Sam clung to the last familiar thing he had; the faint prick of Dean in his consciousness. Sam closed his eyes and pushed at that bond as hard as he could, trying to assure Dean he was all right. He was surprised when he wiped his nose that he was bleeding; that hadn’t happened since the beginning, when they were first learning how to use this new link. But Sam considered his message successful when he felt Dean’s worry turn more towards relief.

_Thank gods you’re okay,_ Sam heard Dean whisper.

_Yeah. And—and Luci—and_ he _was left on the shore,_ Sam replied. He could almost see Dean’s grin.

_Hydrophobic?_ he chuckled. But the sound was fading too quickly to be because of where Sam was. Someone was suppressing their link. Sam didn’t appreciate the sentiment. Neither did Dean for that matter.

But then the boat landed, and Sam couldn’t hear Dean anymore, and the sense of him was only an ember now. Sam was surprised how spacious his mind felt, how _empty_ it was without Dean and Lucifer. They were his two constant companions, the ones he could always rely on to be just _there._ Sam felt more alone than he had since before Lucifer first appeared.

Sam stepped out of the boat and began walking. He didn’t know where, but he assumed that, if whoever was here was strong enough to block his connection to Dean _and_ Lucifer, it could move him where it wished. Sam refused to be surprised when he found a path lined by flames. When he reached the end of the path, though, he allowed himself to be surprised at the layer of thin shiny metal that littered the ground. (He was later told that these were candy wrappers.)

“Hello, Samikins. It’s nice to see you again,” a short male said from his seated position at the center of the wrappings. “Of course, this is your first time seeing me, but I’ll explain that later.” The short male had blond hair that flashed gold in the fire light. “Anyway, has my dick brother left you alone now that I’m here?” His eyes flashed gold, too. Or maybe his eyes were gold. Sam couldn’t tell. “Hello? Earth to Sammy?”

_What?_ Sam half-snapped, still trying to take in the male’s appearance, forgetting that he wouldn’t be able to hear Sam. Except, he did.

“I appreciate the gaping, but you’re smarter than that, Moose. There’s time for looking later,” the male almost admonished. Sam glared at him.

_Well, in addition to you getting rid of Lucifer, I can’t reach my brother. I’d appreciate it if you’d change that,_ Sam remarked. The male shrugged and snapped his fingers. Immediately, Sam could feel his brother again, and visibly relaxed. _Hey, Dean. I think I found Loki._

“That you did. Or, really, I found you. This time. There are lives when you find me, but those are technicalities.” The male that just confirmed he was Loki shrugged. “Either way, it’s nice to see you again, Giagantor. How’s life?”


End file.
